REVIEWS |
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THE
SMOKE CHOPHOUSE in
Englewood By
Staff A
Common Dilemma
Among
Many Food lovers on any given Friday night is where to dine that
evening. Should we try something new or stick to an old favorite?
Atmosphere is almost as important as the meal when choosing where to
dine. It can make or break a night. I myself can recall many
mediocre dining experiences with poor service or
a cramped uncomfortable setting that sent me running out
the
door
as soon as the meal was over. If all you want is good
food,
then just order your favorite take out and stay home. A night out
dining should entice your appetite, senses and spirit and leave
you
wondering how time could have passed so quickly when you
glance at your watch and notice it's midnight The
Smoke Chop House in Englewood guides you through an evening of
sumptuous dining, affable mingling, and sinful indulgence
as if you were chumming it up with
old
pals
in one of
London's most notable pubs Stepping through the doors you are
greeted by friendly smiles and old-world charm Men with brandy
snifters taking on cigars, women drinking out of crystal
wine
glasses chatting and giggling with the bar maid while
being
presented with generous portions of classic desirables
smothered with unprecedented flavor From the first course to the last, this chef extraordinary has brought simple meals and given them exceptional flavors. He takes a basic arugala salad and adds goat cheese, candied pecans, apples and a very impressive vinaigrette. Its possibly one of the best salads you have ever crunched into. He also mastered dishes such as a wonderful baked oyster with sautéed spinach and warm bacon dressing and a crab cake that even those in Maryland would have difficulty denying its perfection. you would have thought that you had died and went to haven. For the main course we went with the steak; after all, this is a chophouse! The waiter brought out a 32 ounce Porterhouse cooked medium rare and tender with every bite. At that point I knew I would not be indulging in dessert. That's something you will all have to experience for yourself! The
wine list at the Smoke chop House
is another aspect that makes the meals more enjoyable. They
have everything from a $1500 bottle of Chateau Petrus to moderately
priced wines from all over the world. Their wine cellar almost
takes up the whole second floor so
they can be sure
to please every-one--from
the novice to the expert.
The
setting is one of simple elegance. Crisp white linens, shining
silver place settings - the bare necessities of a hearty meal. The
chairs are
comfortable
cushioned cherry
wood
antique chairs; each one unique and diving the
atmospheric
experience
a personal, touch.
So
the next time you are looking for a new dining
experience,
where the food is exquisite, the atmosphere is
comfortable
and the drinks are abundant, look towards The Smoke Chop House in
Englewood New Jersey. I promise you won't, be
disappointed.
AT THE SMOKE CHOPHOUSE Rated by the Bergen Record
Ah, the Nineties, when men are men and women smoke cigars, where a neat 21-year old single malt scotch is at home with a rare 42-ounce prime aged porterhouse steak and the Yankee game on the television over the bar is as much a tradition as the tune of “Route 66” emanating from the baby grand in the jazz lounge downstairs.
Enter the 60-seat world of Smoke Chophouse & Cigar Emporium in Englewood. As the name implies, it’s a restaurant that encourages smoking, and while the state-of-the-art ventilation system changed the air six times an hour, guests are still saturated with the lingering odor of cigars.
With this understanding, Smoke can be enjoyed as a cozy restaurant that embraces its guests with large, plush upholstered eclectic antique chairs, gold-framed cigar labels and tasteful artistic renditions of Louis Icart’s sensual nudes. It’s a bastion of male waiters in black butcher aprons, five to one table, attending to mostly men in Armani suits and some women-a few dressed to kill in Versace couture.
The atmosphere is like an exclusive men’s club where dining is an event with serious business at hand. Witness: the Bowie-like steak knife on the table, the shrine to hand-rolled cigars adjacent to the solid mahogany bar, the wine rack displaying a $24,000 collection of Erti cognacs, and the chilled martini glasses.
Since June, diners have been drawn here to satisfy the primitive carnivorous lust for thick steaks, enormous chops, extremely fresh whole fish, earthy potatoes and as few vegetables as possible (spinach is allowed because it gave Popeye manly strength…but that’s about it for the green stuff).
The simple, straightforward menu features just six appetizers, ranging from jumbo shrimp ($2.90 per piece) to Beluga Caviar with a 1-pound Maine lobster ($69); two soups; four very basic salads, and 12 entrees; plus a few specials.
Whole kernels of yellow corn, bountiful shreds of succulent Maryland crab and tender red potatoes joined forces to create one of the most moist and beautifully golden crab cake appetizers in memory ($10.90).
Equally fine were the five large and yielding asparagus spears ($6.95) that were presented as if potted in a culinary mulch of juicy Jersey tomatoes and diced red onions graced in the dew of a fine vinaigrette.
Veils of rich beef carpaccio ($11.95) tease the palate like a mirage, for they seem to melt and disappear at a bite. Large shavings of 15-year aged Reggiano-Parmigiano are a snowcap that blankets a refreshing harvest of arugula.
The main event is the entrees, beautifully presented in their raw components prior to preparation. It’s here that guests feast their eyes on such delights as New Zealand lobster tails ranging in size from 14 ounces to three pounds; 28-day dry-aged USDA grain-fed prime Western beef with bones that should be in the Museum of Natural History; the clear raised eyes of a whole red snapper; cross sections of yellow-fin tuna and thick center-cut pork chops. There is no wrong selection.
Only parsley garnished the plain white plate for my 16-ounce prime filet mignon ($28.95). Flawlessly charred externally, the effortless passing of the razor-sharp knife revealed a fibrous juicy red interior flecked with marbled fat. Only afterwards did I notice I never reached for the salt or pepper during our several visits. We were, however, presented with Peter Lugar Steak House Old-Fashioned Sauce ($5.95 per bottle) and requested some Heinz ketchup for the incredibly hot and crisp side order of steak fries ($3.95).
The aged porterhouse steak ($39.95) – the restaurant’s most popular entrée – is equally as fine, especially when accompanied by perhaps one of the best enhanced lobsters I’ve ever tasted. The large, sweet, and firm tail of a cold-water New Zealand lobster ($36) is split, dredged in flour, sautéed in hot oil and garlic, and then flambéed in cognac and cayenne pepper, and then tossed in aged Parmesan cheese. De-shelled and served in its tail, the rich blends of tastes and aromas invigorate the senses and addict the taste buds.
Our grilled French pork chop ($16.95) weighed in at 16 ounces and stood nearly 3 inches high. Slowly cooked on the bone, it was a pleasure to cut into the chop revealing firm pink flesh that exuded a smoky taste. The lightly breaded version is equally as delicious and presented butter flied, cooked a little longer and lacking any trace of oil.
Smoke tempts seafood enthusiasts with wonderfully fresh fish. We had chosen wisely from the platter and our red snapper ($24.95) was brought to the table split and deboned, minus its head and tail. Encrusted in almonds, the moist fillet swam in a savory black bean reduction sauce.
Entrees are not garnished with vegetables or potatoes, so side orders are a must. The hands-down favorite is the mashed potatoes with garlic and mozzarella ($4.95). Don’t plan to share this with anyone because it’s that good. The traditional creamed spinach ($4.95) also hits the spot.
Desserts seem trivial at a steakhouse, but Smoke does offer some fine choices, especially the creamy and buttery cheese strudel or the cheesecake ($5.95).
But there are desserts of a different sort here…such as a Warre’s 1963 port ($28) with a Moore & Bode hand-rolled cigar ($15). In addition to an impressive list of ports, Madeira, and cognacs, the wine list features a fine selection of American, Australian, European, and South African wines ranging in price from $18 to $1,065 per bottle.
(RESTAURANT RATINGS TABLE) Smoke Chophouse & Cigar Emporium 4 stars 36 Engle Street, Englewood 541-8530
Fare: Steaks, chops, seafood. Prices: Appetizers, $2.95 to $69; entrees, $16.95 to $39.95; desserts, $5.95. Credit Cards: AE, D, MC, V. Reservations: Required. Days Closed: None. Liquor/wine available: Yes. Facilities for the disabled: No. Area for non-smokers: No. Atmosphere: Elegant, casual, jackets requested.
Rated by the Record: October 25, 1996.
Restaurants are rated on the quality of their food, atmosphere, service and value. Halves are given when a restaurant surpasses a level of food, service, or ambience. Reviewers make at least two anonymous visits to a restaurant, and The Record always pays the tab.
Day: Friday Section: LIFESTYLE/PREVIEWS Column: FINE DINING Edition: All Editions = 5 Star, 4 Star, 3 Star Date: 10/25/1996 2 Star, 1 Star Byline: By RENE A. MACK, Restaurant Reviewer Publication: The Record – Page 028
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